Federal and state law prohibit California employers from discriminating against employees based on certain characteristics, such as race or religion. (To learn more, see our page on employment discrimination and harassment.)
In all 50 states, federal law makes it illegal to discriminate based on:
In addition, California state law also prohibits discrimination based on:
Federal antidiscrimination laws apply to California employers with 15 or more employees, with the following exceptions:
California's antidiscrimination laws apply to companies with five or more employees.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that regulates workplace discrimination. You can contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by calling 800-669-4000 or check out its website at www.eeoc.gov. The website will help you locate an EEOC field office in California. (See our article on filing a discrimination claim with the EEOC.)
The Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Sacramento District Office enforces state antidiscrimination law in California. You can contact the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Sacramento District Office at 916-478-7200 or 800-884-1684 or go to its website.
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